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Ryan Hemphill
Name In NASCAR Record Book With Hills Bros All Pro Series,
NASCAR Touring Win At Nashville SuperSpeedway
6/10/2002
by: Bill Desmond
LEBANON, TN. (June 7 2002) - Ryan Hemphill took the lead from
Charlie Bradberry on the white flag lap then held off a hard
charging Jeff Fultz Friday evening in the Sunbelt Rentals 125 at
Nashville Superspeedway to win his first Hills Bros. All Pro
Series, NASCAR Touring event.
Finishing behind the Apollo, Pa. driver's Argo Packing Co.
Chevrolet, was Fultz in his C & C Boiler/Cleaver Brooks
Chevrolet, Bradberry's in his Bradberry Racing Chevrolet, Benny
Gordon with his Johnny's Haulmark Trailer Pontiac and David
Reutimann in his Pennzoil Chevrolet.
"This is Awesome", said Hemphill when he exited his car in
victory lane. "The car worked so good tonight and I was just
riding out there. We moved up a little but when that last
caution waved I felt we might have a chance at winning."
"I owe everything to my dad and this crew. They have given me a
good car every time we race. In our only other start with this
series we finished third at Memphis last year and now we have
our first win. Maybe we can carry this momentum over to Kentucky
next week."
The ending was disappointing for Bradberry who has been in
contention for his first win in the last two races with the
final lap deciding the winner.
"Ryan was just quicker then we were," said Bradberry after the
race. "My car was pushing at the end and when his car got under
me in turn two I just knew I didn't have enough for him."
With Bradberry's third place and Reutimann's fifth place finish,
Bradberry took over the series points lead by one point over
Reutimann.
A late race caution when Ray Skillman's Dupont/Kendall Oil Ford
scraped the turn four wall closed the field for a
green/white/checkered finish with Bradberry leading the field on
the final race restart.
Eddie Mercer, who set the series qualifying mark on the
1.333-mile oval, at 32.640 Secs (147.022 mph) had the rest of
the 36-car field chasing him over the first 85 laps until he
pitted during that caution.
Mercer, Hemphill, Bradberry, David Reutimann, Fultz, and others
pitted for fresh Hoosier shoes. Bradberry took on two left side
tires and exited the pits first while Hemphill took on two right
sides tires and was second out. Mercer decided to go for a
four-tire change putting him in sixth for the restart.
But the night clearly belonged to "Fast Eddie" who dedicated his
first Bud Pole Award of 2002 to "Uncle Bob" Harmon who passed
away on May 30. "Bob gave me the nick name of "Fast Eddie" and
we will miss his efforts in racing tremendously," said Mercer in
accepting the Award.
Throughout the first 85 laps, the race was for the runner-up
spot with Mercer's Everwood/Phoenix/Quality Auto Parts Chevrolet
opening a huge lead over the cars of Reutimann, Bradberry, Roger
Parker and Hemphill.
By the half-way mark, Fultz had moved his Chevrolet into
contention with Reutimann holding down second and Hemphill and
Bradberry swapping positions.
"I knew we were going to have to pit," said Mercer after the
race, "but darn it sure was a costly stop. "The lug nuts did not
get tight and when I went back on the track the car just did not
handle well. I returned to the pits and Jimmy (Wainwright) found
the wheel stud has wallowed out the stud hole on the wheel. I
just parked the car rather then tear it up."
"We wanted to win this race so bad," continued Mercer. "Had we
not had that little problem I just know we would have been in
victory lane."
With the late race caution, the race was extended two laps with
the geen/white/checkered finish. Bradberry lead the cars to line
with Hemphill in second, Gordon in third, Fultz in fourth and
rookie of the year contender Joe Aramendia in fifth and
Reutimann in sixth. There was lots of fender rubbing on the last
lap with Fultz edging Bradberry by inches at the checkered flag
and Reutimann getting around Aramendia.
With his sixth place, Aramendia was the top finishing rookie
contender with Mercer earning the Gatorade "Front Runner" Award
for leading the most laps.
Rounding out the top ten finishers after Aramendia were Parker,
Billy Bigley Jr., Jason Hogan and Cecil Chunn.
The next event for the Hills Bros. All Pro Series will be The
Lexington Herald Leader presents The Kentucky 150.
OFFICIAL FINISH AND LAPS COMPLETED: 1. Ryan Hemphill, 102; 2.
Jeff Fultz, 102; 3. Charlie Bradberry, 102; 4. Benny Gordon,
102; 5. David Reutimann, 102; 6. Joe Aramendia, 102; 7. Roger
Parker, 102; 8. Billy Bigley Jr., 102; 9. Jason Hogan, 102; 10.
Cecil Chunn, 102; 11. Greg Pope, 102; 12. Terry Mason Jr., 101;
13. Dusty Williams, 101; 14. Ken Weaver, 101; 15. Johnny
Brazier, 101; 16. Toby Porter, 101; 17. Shane Sieg, 100; 18.
Craig Smith, 100; 19. Steven Howard, 99; 20. Michael Britt, 99;
21. Wayne Bowen, 99; 22. Stanley Smith, 98; 23. Ray Skillman,
94, Accident; 24. Randy Gentry, 94; 25. Eddie Mercer, 92,
Handling; 26. Jarod Robie, 90; 27. Chris Fontaine, 69, Rear End;
28. Allen Karnes, 66, Suspension; 29. Jody Lavender, 61, Oil
Pump; 30. Kevin Prince, 47, Engine; 31. Chad Bland, 35, Rear
End; 32. Howard Bixman, 29, Carburetor; 33. Gary Terry, 15,
Accident; 34. Erik Darnell, 9, Battery; 35. Keith Gardner,6,
Accident; 36. John Nutley, 0, Engine. TIME OF RACE: 1 Hr. 18
Mins. 38 Secs; AVERAGE SPEED: 103.747 MPH; MARGIN OF VICTORY:
.229 Secs. CAUTION PERIODS: Five Cautions For 29 Laps; LAP
LEADERS: Two Lead Changes Among Three Drivers, Eddie Mercer,
Pole - 85; Charlie Bradberry, 86 - 101; Ryan Hemphill, 102.
HILLS BROS. ALL PRO SERIES, NASCAR TOURING TOP TEN IN POINTS:
(June 7 2002) (Unofficial). 1. Charlie Bradberry, 636; 2. David
Reutimann, 635; 3. Jeff Fultz, 584; 4. Billy Bigley Jr., 564; 5.
Jason Hogan, 545; 6. Randy Gentry, 543; 7. Ken Weaver, 507; 8.
Benny Gordon - Jody Lavender, 501; 10. Shane Sieg, 488.
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